July 15, 2026

Yesterday, I sat down and wrote out my blog for today’s Writer’s Wednesday post. 

After creating two yellow memo pages, front and back, I crumbled both sheets up, and tossed them into the blue recycling bin.

Late this morning, I sat down again and wrote this piece out. I knew in my heart this draft would be the one. 

Sometimes, the first pass doesn’t achieve the goal in mind, and this is evident even in the world of feminism. In the 1920s, the United States experienced the first wave of feminism, where women were “given” the right to vote, a privilege by that time already granted to the majority of men (though efforts were made to withhold this right from male minorities despite the law of the land.) Though it was a landmark privilege facilitating other sociopolitical changes for women, it didn’t quite hit the mark; more work needed to be done.

And then, along came two world wars, then the baby boom, and the concurrent mass shuffling of women back into the home. As the mid-century progressed and women succumbed to perennial homemaking and a few pills to help them along the way, it felt as though another wave was coming – this time stronger than the first. By the end of the 1960s, the issue of women’ s rights and their liberation was here to stay. This time, voting with their feet took on a new meaning, whether it was leaving the home, for work or to protest, or to simply enjoy the outer limits of their newfound independence.

Future decades brought about other waves concerning women and their rights, but there will never again be anything like the feminist force that arose during the 60s and 70s. Fierce change initiated by fierce women was the reason so many of us now enjoy the “privileges” we have today. I understand how much blood, sweat and tears went into creating the reality we currently live in today, though it’s clear feminism has yet to be perfected. My hope is more women will see the work still needing to be accomplished. My hope is they will step forward, willing to share their talents and abilities in furthering women-focused causes. I hope their hard work will remind the world women are people and that the fish in our ocean still do not need bicycles. 

In today’s microfiction story, “Second Wave,”  two women visit the seaside, choosing to display their commitment to one another through their words and actions. I hope you enjoy this story, and have a great week. ⚢

 *******